The escalating conflict in Ethiopia has prompted a strong call for de-escalation from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. Alarmed by the increasing civilian casualties and the possibility of returning to full-scale warfare, Türk urged both the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to ease tensions as fighting intensifies in the region. Recent airstrikes, allegedly conducted by the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), targeted schools in Tigray, leading to civilian deaths and injuries. A subsequent mortar attack by the ENDF in the Amhara region also resulted in civilian casualties, drawing attention to the urgent need for protecting non-combatants and ensuring humanitarian access (JURIST).
Compounding the challenges in Ethiopia, disruptions to internet and telecommunications in key regions such as Mekelle and parts of Amhara have raised concerns about the safety and accessibility of these areas. Road blockages in Afar and the suspension of flights by Ethiopian Airlines after the takeover of three airports by the TPLF further exacerbate the severity of the situation. These conditions hinder civilians’ ability to seek safety and complicate efforts by humanitarian organizations to reach those in need.
Additional distressing reports emerge of forced recruitment, including of children, by the TPLF across the Tigray region, along with executions, torture, and arbitrary detentions. Government forces are similarly accused of arbitrary conscription. Türk’s concerns echo those of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who has also urged for heightened protection of civilians amidst fears of an expansive conflict. The African Union Commission has similarly advocated for renewed peace talks under the 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which was initially intended to create a permanent cessation of hostilities.
The historical context of this conflict heightens the urgency of these international appeals. The Tigray war, which erupted in 2020, has been marked by severe human rights violations, including sexual violence and other atrocities. These have led to legal actions accusing the Ethiopian government of complicity in these acts and triggered public hearings by bodies like the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Reuters).
As tensions continue to rise in Ethiopia, the international community remains watchful, urging influential entities to push for peace and a bid to avoid the unraveling of the fragile cessation-of-hostilities framework established last year. The impact of continued conflict only portends further destabilization in a region already grappling with economic, social, and humanitarian challenges.